Raw talent and durability concerns caused Tim Patrick to go undrafted.
The Baltimore Ravens shocked fans and pundits alike as they focused on defense during the 2017 draft. The Ravens hold fast to the philosophy of “best player available” when drafting, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that an early round receiver wasn’t in the cards after Corey Davis, Mike Williams, and John Ross all went in the top 10.
Despite not drafting a receiver, it is not fair to say that the Baltimore Ravens failed to address the position. On May 5, Baltimore brought in four undrafted free agent wide outs. Among this group was 6’4”, 210 pound Tim Patrick from the University of Utah. Now, Patrick brings his large frame and impressive speed (he ran 4.47 in the 40 at the Utah pro day) to the Baltimore Ravens in hopes of making the team.
The uphill climb to make the 53-man roster won’t be entirely new for Patrick. In 2014, he walked onto the Utah football team after transferring from a junior college. During his first year, he saw limited snaps. He still found ways to contribute as he caught 16 passes before suffering a season ending knee injury. The injury also kept him out of the entire 2015 season, but he worked through the injuries. Before the start of the 2016 season, he was named as a starter.
Patrick started the 2016 putting up good numbers. In the first five games, he caught 24 passes for 429 yards with five touchdowns. Then, another injury, this time a foot injury, sidelined him for three games, and he didn’t seem to come back at full steam.
When healthy, Tim Patrick is an explosive talent.
Between the history of injuries and a below average route running ability, Patrick failed to receive an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. This blow spelled disaster for player regarded as a late round pick at best; however, I fully expected a team to take Patrick sometime on day three. In my mind, he was a great athlete with amazing size, so I thought a team would jump on him simply based on potential.
When Utah took on USC this season, the Trojans thought enough of Patrick to put Adoree’ Jackson on him for most of the game. If you don’t know Jackson, he was just drafted with the 18th overall pick by the Tennessee Titans in this year’s draft, and Patrick battled him all day. By the end of the day, he won the war against the future first round selection. He caught six passes for 100 yards including the game winning touchdown.
His unrefined athletic ability should land him on the 53-man roster especially when you consider his size. Despite his limited route running ability, there are plenty of skills in Patrick’s arsenal. He’s a solid blocker who doesn’t back off of contact. The physicality continues down the field where he uses his hands to combat defenders and snag passes. Plus, he breaks away from press coverage with agile lateral movements and proper hand technique. If he can become even an average route runner, Tim Patrick could become the next undrafted superstar.